University of El Salvador
Western Multidisciplinary Campus
Department of Foreign Languages
English Composition II
Students' name:
- Hernández Pleitez, Jackeline Carolina
- Montenegro Ordoñez, Silma Yanira
- Rivera Salguero, Katherinne Tatiana
Professor: Darlene Mata
Group: 2
Topic: E-Folio
Introduction
Writing is a way people use to express ideas, thoughts, emotions, feelings, or just to give information or facts of something.
English Composition II is a subject that deals with writing. The more practice students have, the better writing they get. The purpose of this blog is to make students write as much as they can, so at the end of the subject, students' writing skills will be neat. Writing paragraphs and essays made students practice a lot. Though they still make mistakes, their writing skill is better than it was.
This blog includes experiencies about the whole process students have been through as well as material delivered in classes.
Objectives:
* To make students of English Composition II improve their writing skill
* To show how students got their writing skill better
1. Challenges during the semester
2. Classes copied in class
Tuesday, March 15th, 2016
What is a paragraph?
1. It is a group of sentences that develops an idea.
2. The first sentence of a paragraph should be idented.
3. The sentences on a paragraph support and give examples of the main idea.
A. A paragraph sholud have a logical structure that is easy to put into an outline:
I. Topic sentence
II. Supporting detail
III. Supporting detail
IV. Supporting detail
V. Concluding sentence
*No more ideas but more details
B. Developing paragraphs
Elements:
1. Unity
2. Completeness
3. Order
4. Coherence
Time order: chronological order (stories, instructions)First, then, next, during, before, after that, soon, while, moments later, finally, once, at the end, at the begining
Space order: describing a person, thing, or a place from top to bottom from left to right
On the left, on the right, beyond that, above, next to, behind, among, outside
Order of climax: usully starting with the less important and building to a climax at the end of the paragraph
First, another, next, even more, last the most (of all), last but not least
3. Presentations of the class in the group of facebook
4. Videos recorded during the semester
5. Extra material delivered in class
The writing process :
Writing is used way people have in order to express thoughts and feelings.
People became writers through time and practice.
Six steps to writing process:
1- preparing: During this stage, writers thinks about the possible topics and techniques that they can use to write successful compositions. Writers can do research about the topics they choose.
2- planning or prewriting:
In this stage, writers make lists, outlines, summaries or charts to organize their ideas.
3- Incubating and drafting:
In this stage, writers let their ideas simmer and take shape. They give themselves time off to arrange their ideas and plsns. After that the first drafts appear.
4- Revising:
During this stage, you read what you have already written, and put or drop ideas of your composition. You arrange your material and add more details if you think that it is better. After revising you are able to write the second draft because you have checked what you wrote, and you are able to see your own mistakes.
5- In this stage, you check grammar, punctuation, and spelling. You should better your composition
6- Proofreading:
In this step, you read carefully what you wrote, so you have to see if you have no mistakes, and be sure to do not make too much mistakes.
How is a paragraph organized and develop?
The paragraph should contain one central idea only:
If a paragraph contains more than one central idea, it would be overworked. So, the paragraph should be limited in one specific point.
2- The paragraph should have unity; It should be complete in itself.
3- The paragraph should have coherence and continuity:
The parts of the paragraph should be logically connected and smooth.
4-The paragraph should be adequately developed:
It should be well done and completely.
Every paragraph should contain the following:
1-Topic
2-Narrowing the topic
3- Topic sentence
4- Brainstorming
5-selecting and dropping ideas
6-Arranging ideas
7-writing the first draft
8- Second draft
The topic sentence should express the main ideas of the paragraph, but it should be completed and limited.
PERSUASIVE
PARAGRAPH
Persuade: to move by argument, entreaty or
epostulation to a belief, position, or course of action.
A persuasive paragraph gives the writer’s opinión on
the topic. The main objective in this kind of paragraph is to convince someone
that a particular opinion or point of view is the right one. The goal is to
change someone’s mind. Although persuasion is often considered an especial form
of writing , all good writing is persuasive , it seeks to convince the reader
of the truth of the writer’s ideas.
Before composing the persuasive paragraph, the writer
problably made a plan like this:
-Topic sentence
- reason 1
- reason 2
- Reason 3
- Reason 4
- Conclusion
Forms of persuasive
writing
▪ Advertisements
▪ Editorials
▪ speeches
▪Propaganda
▪Reviews
▪Blogs
▪Persuasive paragraphs or essays
TRASITIONAL EPRESSIONS
OF PERSUASIVE
Give reasons answer the opinion draw conclusions
First (second, third) of course therefore
Another, last, finally some may say thus
Because, since, for nevertheless hence
On the other hand although consequently
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METHODS OF PERSUASION
1.FACTS: facts are
simply statements of what is. They should appeal to the readers mind, not just
to the emotions.
2. referring to an
authority: an authority is an expert ,
someone who can be relied on to give unbiased facts and information.
3. examples: an
example should clearly relate to the
argument and should be typical enough to support the argument.
4. Predicting the consequence:
predicting the consequence helps the reader visualize what will occur if
something does or does not happen.
5. answering the
opposition: answering possible critics shows thar you are aware of the
opposition’s argument and are able to respond to it.
CONSIDERING THE AUDIENCE
In addition to
providing adequate proof for your argument, you must pay special attention to
the audience as you write a persuasive paragraph. In general, we assume that
our audiences is much like us reasonable and sensible people who wish to learn
the truth. Besides, taking your audience into account, you will make your
persuasive paragraph more convincing.
DEFINITION PARAGRAPH
To define is to explain
clearly what a word or term means. As you write, you will sometimes find it
necessary to explain words or terms that you suspect your reader may not know.
A definition paragraph
is a paragraph explaining a term or subject, so your audience comprehends the
topic of the paragraph. The topic sentence of a definition paragraph is often
one of the single- sentences.
There are many ways to
define a word or term:
-Definition by synonym
-Definition by class
-Definition by negation
Definition by synonym: it explains the term by using the words that mean the
same thing. Example: to procrastinate is to lack.
The simplest way to
define a term is to supply a synonym , a word that means the same thing. A good
synonym definition always uses an easier and more familiar word than the one
being described.
Example:
Word
Category/ class
Distinguishing details/
facts
Definition by class: it is when you put ypour topic in a larger category to
explain your term.
Example: a pineapple is
a tropical fruit that has an acidic and sweet taste.
The class definition
is the one most often required in
college an in formal writing in examinations , papers and reports. The class definition has two
parts. First, the writer places the word to be defined into the larger
category, or class, to which it belongs.
Second, the writer provides the distinguishing characteristics or
details that make this person, object, or idea different from all others in
category.
Definition by negation: it means that the write first says something is not,
and then says what is it.
Example: a snow cone is
not an ice cream cone, but rather a shredded ice and syrup treat.
A good parents is not a
person who punishes children every time misbehave, but a person who discipline properly.
ILUSTRATION PARAGRAPH
To illustrate is to
explain a general statement by means of one or more specific examples
Illustration makes what
we say more vivid and more exact. In this kind of paragraph the writer must
provide examples in the paragraph. Illustration- illustrates.
Example: “my math
professor is always finding crazy ways to get our attention. Just yesterday,
for example he wore a high silk hat to class”
One important
characteristic of this paragraph is the writer describe making use of the four
senses: see, smell, hear, and touch. The
objective of describing the senses is that the reader can also feel and imagine
the environment of the paragraph. Besides, we have to explain the example and
develop one example- illustration.
Possible transition
expressions to use:
For example, for
instance, an illustration of this, another example, in case in points is, in this case, as an
illustration, to illustrate and another illustration.
6. Journals
Jackeline H.-
Entry 4- Revised
Due on: Tuesday, May 17th, 2016
Aspects I love about my mom
There are many aspects I love about my mom, but there are three specifically that I love the most. First, my mom is always helping me out. I mean; she helps me make difficult decisions when I do not know what to do. Second, my mom always tries to do the best for me. She sacrifices much to give me all I need. She is such a lovely person. Finally, my mom helps anybody who needs help. She really does not care how other people treat her. She only helps without expecting any rewards. |
| (This one is the first version) |
Silma M.- One of the journals that I wrote was called skills. I decided that tittle because we humans have many abilities hidded, and sometimes we do not discover. So, I decided to write about it because It is related with my experience. Three years ago I learned how to play the guitar, something that I had not discovered but that trough the time I discovered that to have this skill is the best that a person can has. Besides, another journal that I wrote was about my ideal teacher; it was nice because I could write about how I wanted to be my ideal teacher. Thus, I wanted that my ideal teacher would be characterized by being enthusiastic and humble. Besides, I wrote that my ideal teacher would be the model to follow.
Dear teacher, you are right; to share our time
with a person we love is awesome. To be honest, my boyfriend is the apple of my
eyes; I think God send him into my life with a purpose. Our relationship has
not been a piece of cake; we have overcome a lot of obstacles, but God has been
with us all the time. Because of some difficulties, my boyfriend and I got
separated almost a year; it was hard for me because we did not keep in touch
for a long time. I remember that one day; I received a call, and it was him; I
was pretty happy. I prayed a lot and God answered my prayers because my
boyfriend was healthy and safe. As you mentioned before, I have to behave
wisely, and I am working on that because I wanted to receive God's favor in my
pathway.
Well, Iet me say that some of my best journals
were the ones that I wrote about my boyfriend and our relationship. To be
frank, when I wrote those journals, memories came back to my mind. In that
time, I was really sad because we faced difficulties, but God showed me mercy,
and he taught me to stay in faith and answered my prayers.
7. An assesment on how well we achieved the writing goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the semester
Jackeline H.-
Silma M.-
Another goal that I
achieved is that now I know how to put my ideas in order I the paragraph and
also in the essay because I used to write but my ideas were mixed and that was
something that made my writing misunderstandable , but now I think that my
writing is too much better than the one that I had.
Jackeline H.-
My best essay was the first I wrote because I remember having been prety exciting about it though I did not get a good grade. However, the topic I developed there was for me prety important, and it was about being digitally responsable which means making use of technology wisely. I strongly believe I learnt a lot.
Silma M.-
Katherinne R.-
1-Topic: Attitudes toward money.
2-Narrowed topic: My mother and father's
attitude toward money
3- Topic sentence: Although my mother's attitude
toward money is really careful, my father's attitude is completely careless.
4-Brainstorming:
* who is better saving money
*who
splurges money
*The person who administrates money
*Person who brings home the bacon
*Advantages of earning money
*Attitudes toward money
5-Selecting and dropping ideas :
1- Attitudes toward money
2- Person who splurges money
3- Person who saves money
4- The one who administrates money wisely.
6- Arranging ideas:
1- Attitudes toward money
2- Person who splurges money
3- Person who saves money
4-The best administrator
Although my mother's attitude toward money is
really careful, my father's attitude is completely careless. Whereas my mother
spends money just on things our family needs, my father spend it just on
unnecessary. While my mother tries to save money; money makes a hole in my
father's pocket. While my mother tightens her belt, my father splurges a lot on
unuseful things. In contrast, my mother is the one who takes care of the money
because she knows when and how spends it. My mother thinks about the future
necessities, but my father does not think about it. Although my father is the
one who brings home the bacon, my mother administrates it wisely because she
knows our family necessities better. These attitudes are completely different,
but it is impossible to deny that both my father and mother are important in
this case because one person earns money and the another one administrates it.
This was one of my best paragraphs because I
wrote about something that I know perfectly. When I write about my family,
ideas comes to my mind faster because I know them almost perfectly. Writing is
one of the best ways to express what I feel or think; that's why, I really like
to do it, so if I have the opportunity, I am going to take it.
My best essay!
I am not so good at writing journals,
paragraphs, or essays but I would like to point out an essay that I wrote; it
was about healthy food. I wanted to make
people conscious about their food habits because sometimes people do not notice
what they do wrong. The topic of my essay was Why People Should Eat Healthy
Food. I mentioned that having a well balanced diet can be very beneficial in
people's lives because it contains a lot of nutrients, and it gives people
energy. If people eat healthy food their lives would be better. wanted to focus
on the impact that eating healthy. I remember that I was pretty excited about
knowing the benefits of healthy food because I did not know a lot of the topic,
and I learned new things that I can improve in my life.
Jackeline H.-
Silma M.-
Katherinne R.-
10. Reflection regarding what we have learned about ourselves as writers this semester and how your assumptions and understandings of wrtiting and reading have changed as a result of our work in this course.
Jackeline H.-
Silma M.- During this semester I have learned many things but one of the most important is that if we believe in ourselves everything is possible, the only thing that we have to do is take interest in what we think0 is difficult. As a writer I can say that I have improved my writing skill although not the all but I have done it. In addition, sometimes we think that to write is difficult but we do not put our interest on it or we do no take time to practice doing it. I say this because it was my experience at the beginning of the course. When the course started, I did not take too much interest on it because it was difficult for me, but then I thought that it was difficult because I did not take interest on it, so I started to put all the interest, and then my thought changed.
My assumptions and understanding about writing and reading now are different because before to study composition I thought that to write was not that important like speak is. However, now I think that it is so important because there is no point if we learn how to speak a language if we do not learn how to write it because if we do not know how to write, we can no do any formal document or we cannot write a letter. Let us Imagine a person who cannot talk because he or she is especial, but he or she can write it means that person can get communication by writing but a person who do not know how to write that person will not be able how to get communication. Now I consider that writing is one of the most important skills that a person can develop.
Katherinne R.-
Jackeline H.-
Silma M.-
Another suggestion that I would like to give is that the teacher should provide more practices about essays inside the
classroom.
Katherinne R.-
